Staff at Drogheda Dunnes Stores left reeling with news of its closure on October 31st

Louise Walsh

Staff at a Dunnes Stores grocery store have been left reeling with the unexpected news that the outlet is to close on October 31st.

It is understood that about 27 staff are to be affected when the store on West Street in Drogheda, Co Louth, shuts its doors for the last time in over 50 years on the main thoroughfare.

The grocery store is one of Dunnes Stores' earliest outlets, and its founder, Ben Dunne, had a close association with the town when he described his apprenticeship as a draper in Drogheda in 1926 as a 'turning point' in his life.

Many of the staff at the store have up to 20 years service and were said to be 'shocked and disappointed' with the news which was relayed to them by management on Monday.

It is believed that staff have been told they could be redeployed to nearby stores at the town's Scotch Hall and Colpe Cross shopping centres but they have had no further confirmation of this.

Employees say they are upset that a meeting was not called to break the news and answer any questions they may have.

Meanwhile the store's impending closure was described as 'another blow to the town centre'.

Although Drogheda was recently included in the Living City Initiative, which provides tax incentives to bring vacant or underused buildings back to life, it's '10 years too late', according to spokesperson for the Drogheda Vacancy and Dereliction Group Dom Gradwell.

"If we had this years ago, there would be more people living in the town centre, more footfall and more businesses," he said

"Dunnes Stores has been in West Street all my life and now it is another destination store gone, after we lost M&S last year. It's death by a thousand cuts to the town centre."